Beginning
Various Laws
24 This is what you must do if a husband writes out a certificate of divorce, gives it to his wife, and makes her leave his house. (He divorced her because he found out something indecent about her and she no longer pleased him.) 2 She might marry another man after she leaves his house. 3 If her second husband doesn’t love her and divorces her, or if he dies, 4 her first husband is not allowed to marry her again. She has become unclean.[a] This would be disgusting in Yahweh’s presence. Don’t pollute with sin the land that Yahweh your Elohim is giving you as your property.
5 A man who has recently been married will be free from military duty or any other public service. For one year he is free to stay at home and make his new wife happy.
6 Never let a family’s handmill for grinding flour—or even part of a handmill—be taken to guarantee a loan. The family wouldn’t be able to prepare food in order to stay alive.
7 Whoever kidnaps another Israelite must die. The kidnapper must die, whether he treated the other person like a slave[b] or sold him. You must get rid of this evil.
8 Guard against outbreaks of serious skin diseases. Be very careful to do exactly as the Levitical priests instruct you. Make sure you do what I commanded them. 9 Remember what Yahweh your Elohim did to Miriam on your trip from Egypt.
10 When you make a loan to your neighbor, don’t go into his house to take a security deposit. 11 Wait outside, and the person to whom you’re making the loan will bring the deposit out to you. 12 If the person is poor, don’t keep the coat you took as a deposit overnight. 13 Make sure you bring it back to him at sunset. When he wears his coat to bed that night, he’ll bless you. You will have done the right thing in the presence of Yahweh your Elohim.
14 Don’t withhold pay from hired workers who are poor and needy, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living in one of your cities. 15 Pay them each day before sunset because they are poor and need their pay. Otherwise, they will complain to Yahweh about you, and you will be condemned for your sin.
16 Parents must never be put to death for the crimes of their children, and children must never be put to death for the crimes of their parents. Each person must be put to death for his own crime.
17 Never deprive foreigners and orphans of justice. And never take widows’ clothes to guarantee a loan. 18 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and Yahweh your Elohim freed you from slavery. So I’m commanding you to do this.
19 This is what you must do when you’re harvesting wheat in your field. If you forget to bring in one of the bundles of wheat, don’t go back to get it. Leave it there for foreigners, orphans, and widows. Then Yahweh your Elohim will bless you in everything you do.
20 When you harvest olives from your trees, never knock down all of them. Leave some for foreigners, orphans, and widows.
21 When you pick the grapes in your vineyard, don’t pick all of them. Leave some for foreigners, orphans, and widows. 22 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. So I’m commanding you to do this.
Various Laws
25 This is what you must do whenever two people have a disagreement that is brought into court. The judges will hear the case and decide who’s right and who’s wrong. 2 If the person who’s in the wrong deserves to be beaten, the judge will order him to lie down. Then the judge will have him beaten with as many lashes as the crime deserves. 3 Forty lashes may be given, but no more. If an Israelite were given more than that, he would be publicly humiliated.
4 Never muzzle an ox when it’s threshing[c] grain.
5 When brothers live together and one of them dies without having a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Her husband’s brother must marry her and sleep with her. He must do his duty as her brother-in-law. 6 Then the first son she has will carry the dead brother’s name so that his name won’t die out in Israel.
7 But if the man doesn’t want to marry his brother’s widow, she must go to the leaders of the city at the city gate. She must say, “My brother-in-law refuses to let his brother’s name continue in Israel. He doesn’t want to do his duty as my brother-in-law.” 8 Then the leaders of the city must summon him and talk to him. If he persists in saying that he doesn’t want to marry her, 9 his brother’s widow must go up to him in the presence of the leaders. She must take off one of his sandals and spit in his face. She must make this formal statement: “This is what happens to a man who refuses to continue his brother’s family line.” 10 Then in Israel his family will be called the Family of the Man Without a Sandal.
11 This is what you must do when two men are fighting and the wife of one of them comes to rescue her husband from the man who is beating him. If she tries to stop the fight by grabbing the other man’s genitals, 12 cut off her hand. Have no pity on her.
13 Never carry two sets of weights, a heavier one and a lighter one. 14 Never have two kinds of measures in your house, a larger one and a smaller one. 15 Use accurate and honest weights and measures. Then you will live for a long time in the land that Yahweh your Elohim is giving you. 16 Everyone who uses dishonest weights and measures is disgusting to Yahweh your Elohim.
17 Remember what the Amalekites did to you on your trip from Egypt. 18 They attacked you when you were tired and exhausted and killed all those who were lagging behind. They weren’t afraid of Elohim. 19 So when Yahweh your Elohim gives you peace from all your enemies around you in the land that he is giving you as your own property, don’t forget to erase every memory of the Amalekites from the earth.
A Reminder to Keep God’s Laws
26 Soon you will enter and take possession of the land that Yahweh your Elohim is giving you as your property. When you have settled there, 2 take some of the first produce harvested from the fields in the land that Yahweh your Elohim is giving you, and put it in a basket. Then go to the place where Yahweh your Elohim will choose for his name to live. 3 Go to the priest who is serving at that time, and tell him, “I declare today to Yahweh your Elohim that I have come to the land that Yahweh is giving us, as he swore to our ancestors.” 4 Then the priest will take the basket from you and set it down in front of the altar of Yahweh your Elohim. 5 You will make this formal statement in the presence of Yahweh your Elohim: “My ancestors were wandering Arameans. There were only a few of them when they went to Egypt and lived as foreigners. But then they became a great, powerful, and large nation. 6 So the Egyptians treated us cruelly, oppressed us, and made us do back-breaking work for them. 7 We cried out to Yahweh Elohim of our ancestors, and Yahweh heard us. He saw our misery, suffering, and oppression. 8 Then Yahweh used his mighty hand and powerful arm to bring us out of Egypt. He used spectacular and awe-inspiring deeds, miraculous signs, and amazing things. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey. 10 So now I’ve brought the first produce harvested from the fields you gave me, Yahweh.”
You will place the basket in the presence of Yahweh your Elohim and bow down in front of him. 11 Then you, the Levites, and the foreigners who live among you can enjoy all the good things which Yahweh your Elohim has given you and your family.
12 Every third year is the year when you will store a tenth of that year’s crops in your houses. During that year distribute what you have stored to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows in your cities, and they may eat all they want. 13 When you have distributed all that was stored, say to Yahweh your Elohim, “Nothing is left of the holy offering stored in my house. I distributed it to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows as you commanded me. I disobeyed none of your commands, and I didn’t forget to do what you commanded. 14 I didn’t eat any of this holy offering while I was in mourning. I didn’t distribute any of it while I was unclean.[d] I didn’t offer any of it to the dead. I have obeyed Yahweh my Elohim. I have done everything you commanded me. 15 Look down from your holy place in heaven. Bless your people Israel and the land flowing with milk and honey that you have given us, as you promised with an oath to our ancestors.”
16 Today Yahweh your Elohim is commanding you to obey these laws and rules. You must faithfully obey them with all your heart and with all your soul. 17 Today you have declared that Yahweh is your Elohim and that you will follow his directions, obey his laws, commands, and rules, and listen to him. 18 Today Yahweh has declared that you are his people, his own special possession, as he told you. But you must be sure to obey his commands. 19 Then he will place you high above all the other nations he has made. He will give you praise, fame, and honor, and you will be a people holy to Yahweh your Elohim, as he promised.
Write the Law on Stones
27 Moses and the leaders of Israel told the people, “Obey every command I’m giving you today.
2 “The day you cross the Jordan River and enter the land that Yahweh your Elohim is giving you, set up some large stones and cover them with plaster. 3 Yahweh Elohim of your ancestors is giving you a land flowing with milk and honey, as he promised you. After you’re in that land, write all the words of these teachings on the stones. 4 After you cross the Jordan River, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, and cover them with plaster, following the command I’m giving you today. 5 Build an altar of stones there dedicated to Yahweh your Elohim. Don’t use an iron chisel on the stones. 6 You must use uncut stones to build the altar of Yahweh your Elohim. Sacrifice burnt offerings on it to Yahweh your Elohim. 7 Sacrifice fellowship offerings, eat them there, and enjoy yourselves in the presence of Yahweh your Elohim. 8 Write clearly and carefully all the words of these teachings on the stones you set up.”
9 Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Be quiet and listen, Israel. Today you have become the people of Yahweh your Elohim. 10 Obey Yahweh your Elohim and follow his commands and laws which I’m giving you today.”
Curses Which Are to Be Recited
11 That same day Moses gave the people this command: 12 After you cross the Jordan River, these are the tribes that will stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. 13 These are the tribes that will stand on Mount Ebal to announce the curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14 The Levites will declare to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:
15 “Whoever has a carved or metal statue, anything disgusting to Yahweh that was made by a craftsman, and sets it up in secret will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
16 “Whoever curses his father or mother will himself be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
17 “Whoever moves his neighbor’s boundary marker will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
18 “Whoever leads blind people in the wrong direction will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
19 “Whoever deprives foreigners, orphans, or widows of justice will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
20 “Whoever has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife will be cursed. He has disgraced his father.” Then all the people will say amen.
21 “Whoever has sexual intercourse with any animal will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
22 “Whoever has sexual intercourse with his sister, his father’s daughter, or his mother’s daughter will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
23 “Whoever has sexual intercourse with his mother-in-law will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
24 “Whoever kills another person secretly will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
25 “Whoever accepts money to kill an innocent person will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
26 “Whoever doesn’t obey every word of these teachings will be cursed.” Then all the people will say amen.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.